Red String of Fate
by Lady SVI
Summary: /GraLu/ "The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstance." Collection of various one-shots and some random ideas that could possibly become stories.
1. Call of the Wild

**_A/N: OMG! Yet another update! Surprise, surprise! Wow! Lol, seriously though XDDD Please read and review! Let me know what you think of these _****_oneshots! If I should continue or maybe if you want to suggest a prompt for me to try. Anything! By the way, this one-shot is an OMEGAVERSE_** ** _AU - Gray's an alpha, and Lucy is an omega. Here's a link to info:_** topic/152860/112878257/Omegaverse-Description _**with a**_ www . fanfiction . com in front.

 _ **Disclaimer:** **I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. If I did, GraLu would be a thing.**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **Call of the Wild**

* * *

Being an alpha wasn't easy.

Gray dodged the mob of desperate omegas trying to get his attention. It also didn't help that he was the alpha of alphas at his school, so… Unlike his friend Sting, he wasn't really one to pick up any omega to help them during their heat or have them help him during his rut. He's had a stable omega for a while now. Juvia was her name.

She was pretty, she smelled great, she understood him, but there were times where she would forget the meaning of personal space and privacy. Yes, she was kind of stalker-ish. Gray wouldn't say he really loved her enough to be considered a bond mate or soul mate. They never really fully connected to the point they could completely understand how the other felt. Rather, they both used each other to ward off desperate omegas and hungry alphas.

It was maybe a month into his senior year when his friend Lyon paid a visit from Lamia Scale High School. It had been a while since they'd seen each other, so they planned to get a bite to eat. However, when Lyon came across Juvia, he could see a connection form between the two. Gray knew they were probably soul mates, so he didn't mind.

Soul mates or bond mates, whatever one preferred to call it, was when an alpha and omega were specifically made for each other. Not many really understood how it happened, but the alpha was usually the one to first notice it. How? Well, that was a mystery for him too.

So, now that Lyon and Juvia were bond mates, he was back to square one.

* * *

"Gray-sama!" "Gray-kun!"

Well, fuck, Gray thought. He turned around to see a small group of desperate omegas charging toward him. He was about to thank whatever god out there for the small numbers but when he smelled their scents were peaked, he took a few steps back. They were getting close to their heat.

"Thanks but no thanks."

He was gone before they could protest.

"Geez, can't a guy have peace," he mumbled to himself.

Though Gray was content with where he was – being the most desired alpha had its perks – he couldn't help but let the occasional sigh pass his lips. The somewhat selfish and instinctive, or rather, carnal part of him craved more.

An arm slung around his shoulders.

"Gray, what's got your panties in a twist?"

"Natsu," Gray acknowledged. "Just being chased."

Natsu laughed. "Must be nice to be the alpha of alphas."

Gray elbowed him. "Shut it."

"Take it easy, man."

He was about to tell Natsu off when it hit him.

It was faint – an intoxicatingly sweet smell filled his senses. Something along the lines of mandarin…and tiare flowers? Gray paused, eyes flickering around for the source. It was strong, he could smell it above all the joint scents of omegas and alphas in the hallways. Suddenly, an instinctive desire to hunt welled up within him. The soft, sweet scent teasingly tickled his nose.

Gray furrowed his brows in confusion. "I…got to go."

He was off before Natsu could say anything. The pinkette shrugged and walked off in the other direction.

Gray's eyes searched the halls as he sniffed the delicious scent to pinpoint the location – the person bearing such an enticing scent. He rounded the corner to see a blonde girl carrying a large stack of textbooks. She struggled to open the door with her foot.

Her scent hit him in gentle, yet overwhelming waves. He swallowed thickly as he drunk in the sight of the omega before him. Blonde hair cascading down her back, a curvaceous figure, and a smooth expanse of skin, and beautiful brown eyes.

With a purposeful stride of an alpha, Gray zoned in on his prey and made his way down the hallway, his eyes never leaving her form. Nearby omegas flushed at the presence of a strong alpha, but she just had to be so wonderfully different.

"Hey, excuse me, I hope you wouldn't mind opening the door," her melodious voice called out. She either was unaffected or oblivious to the alpha scent he was emitting.

Gray couldn't help but grin. "Just about to ask if you needed any help actually."

"Thanks," she said as he opened the door.

She dropped the stack of books on the teacher's desk.

Gray's eyes watched her intensely. "I've never seen you around before."

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I just transferred from Mermaid Heel actually." She turned and smiled at him. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia by the way. Thanks for your help."

"Gray Fullbuster."

No recognition whatsoever crossed Lucy's face. An omega who didn't know who he was. Gray blessed his good fortune.

"You open this weekend?" he asked suddenly.

Lucy blushed, surprised. "O-oh, um." Her eyes darted shyly to the side. "Actually, I…I don't need an alpha."

Gray blinked. Well, he certainly was not expecting that. His eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the omega in front of him in a new light. He recognized Lucy didn't really react to his alpha scent earlier, meaning two things.

She liked independence and was undeniably stubborn.

He changed course.

"Um," Gray rubbed the back of his neck. "Not exactly what I meant, but… You know, since you're new, I thought I'd invite you. Everyone was going to head the movies this weekend." Actually true, believe it or not.

Lucy brightly smiled. "Really? Yeah, sure!"

* * *

It had been months since Lucy joined the gang. She and Levy clicked the minute they met, Natsu had a great time calling her Luigi, Lisanna had a ball trying to set her up with alphas (Gray was not happy), and Gray was trying to spend as much time as possible with the blonde.

"Lucy, what the hell are you doing?" Gray's deep, smooth voice asked, laced with obvious amusement. Dark blue eyes watched her curiously as the said blonde grinned, setting down a perfume bottle.

"Levy gave it to me," she began excitedly. "Apparently, it gives off this alpha-like scent to ward off other alphas. It's for omegas that don't have one or don't want one."

"That explains everything," Gray muttered, disgruntled. Lately, he hadn't been able to smell Lucy's scent clearly. He would lose her in the bustling hallways at school. It worried him because he couldn't look out for her.

"Huh? What?"

"Nothing."

Lucy shrugged.

The two of them were currently located in Lucy's room to study for the upcoming AP BC Calculus test. He was usually over at her place because he liked her room for whatever reason. Unfortunately, what had originally been a planned study session ended up with Gray lounging on her bed languidly.

Lucy sighed and shook her head as she turned back to the notes scattered on her desk. This test was going to be hell if they didn't get their act together soon. It wasn't that the material was super hard either. They just needed to go over the notes, but it seemed like they weren't about to do that anytime soon.

"How do you expect to find a mate if you keep using that?" Gray teased, a crooked grin on his face. However, his eyes watched her carefully.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "I don't expect to find one," she explained. "Besides, I've been perfectly fine on my own so far."

Gray sighed, eyeing her thoughtfully. "Can't argue with that."

Honestly, he didn't really mind Lucy's drive for independence. It was amusing, really. It was fun to watch her walk around with a determined aura and proudly declare she wasn't one of the omegas who licked the ground an alpha walked on or followed them around like a lost puppy. Ironically enough, Lucy followed him around, and he was an alpha – the alpha of alphas – but when he teased her about it, she only laughed and said there were several alphas in their friend group, so it didn't really matter.

But, it would be rather nice if Lucy turned her eyes to him. He usually wasn't one to beat around the bush, but when he first met Lucy, it was clear he couldn't make obvious or direct advances because it turned her off as a result of wanting to be independent. Despite his efforts, Gray was finding it increasingly difficult to make his intentions clear. Even if it made things more interesting, it was frustrating how Lucy couldn't pick up a hint after all the effort to rub his scent all over her with intentional shoulder grazes, the brushing of hands, and the occasional arm around the shoulder.

"Gray?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you always insist on studying at my place?" Lucy asked, intrigued.

"It's closer," he answered easily.

That was true, but the real reason was because her room smelled so much like her, a touch of mandarin and tiare flowers. The scent of omega, his omega, sweet and enticing – Gray always found himself indulging in it, especially when he mingled it with his own.

"You know, I could always take care of that for you," Gray offered half-teasingly, his smoldering eyes watching her.

"Take care of…?" Lucy blinked before she chuckled. "But then everyone would think I'm your mate," she said. "I wouldn't want to cause any trouble and have to explain things."

"It really wouldn't be much of a problem," Gray stated, eyes never leaving Lucy's.

"That's nice really, but no thanks," she said. Lucy blinked, curiously looking back at him. "Actually Gray, why don't you have a mate? I mean, you are the alpha of alphas, right?"

"Well, this particular omega that I've been after is a lot denser than you'd think," Gray answered, eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Really?" Her eyes went wide.

"Really," Gray chuckled.

"Then you should just tell her!"

His eyes glinted mischievously. "So more direct then?"

"Yeah, exactly! Show her–"

Lucy paused as she felt Gray's calloused hand caress her cheek. Her skin tingled, his touch leaving a trail of tingling skin. His alpha scent washed over her, and she couldn't help but fidget.

"Gray, what are you doing?" she asked meekly, a nice shade of red dusting her cheeks.

"Showing her how I feel."

He leaned forward, his dark blue eyes holding her hostage for a moment, before closing the gap. He wanted to really kiss Lucy, but he knew that would only scare her away, so he opted to test the waters and start with something less intense.

Lucy's heart went flying when Gray's lips gently pressed against her own. Her eyes were wide in surprise, but she couldn't find it in herself to pull away. His alpha scent was discreetly being pushed out to her, and the omega in her felt inclined to submit and remain still and silent. His scent wafted around her, far more intoxicating than she remembered. Her eyes fluttered shut.

The kiss was soft, but it was so sensual that it made her quiver. She could feel him smirk against her lips.

Before Lucy could really process that all of this was real, Gray had pulled away reluctantly. She placed a hand on her tingling lips, her cheeks flushed and body trembling. Gray unconsciously licked his lips. It was all very hard for him to control himself from pushing any further. She was delicious.

Lucy could feel his predatory eyes on her. The meaning was clear and unquestionable. He wanted her. Not just for a quick fuck like most alphas, but something more, something beyond that. It didn't scare her as much as she thought it would because it felt right, but she liked her independence too much. Plus, she wasn't really experienced. When she really thought about, her inexperience was what really scared her away. Hell, she hasn't had her first heat yet. That was abnormal, and she was scared about all these new things, specifically these new feelings that Gray was bringing along since she first met him.

"Gray…" she warned a little shakily.

He chuckled amusedly. "Stubborn as ever."

Lucy fumbled with the hem of her skirt. "It's…not just that."

Gray raised a brow. "What?"

"I don't…want to give you false hope or anything…" She gripped her skirt. "I'd choose you over any alpha," she finally confessed. "It's just I value my independence too much."

His heart jumped, eyes widening a fraction.

"And…" she continued nervously.

"And?"

She flushed. "I'm not really comfortable or experienced or anything. So…it's a little…scary."

Gray blinked before it dawned on him. "You've never had a partner for…?"

Her eyes darted to the side. "I…haven't had one yet."

He felt a smile breaking across his lips. He was elated she hasn't been touched by anyone else. And with time, it would seem he would be her first.

"So you're a late bloomer."

"Y-Yeah."

"Well, if all goes well, I hope I'll be your first."

She swatted him, blushing anyway. "Idiot, don't get ahead of yourself!"

* * *

Ever since then, Gray had made it his obligation to impose himself in Lucy's life. He gently tried to disengage her from the idea of independence and more toward the idea of intimacy and needs. All centering on him, of course.

Lucy was adamant, content to have him as a close friend for the time being. She would brush off his advances. Gray spared no mercy with fleeting touches and heated stares, attempting to pull her away from her ideals into his arms. Gray knew he just had to wait. She had confessed she would be with him than any other alpha. He just had to be patient, but ever since he showed her how he felt, Gray decided to be more open about his interest for two reasons. One, to remind her, and two, to ward off other alphas. So, he'd make sure to drape an arm around her shoulder, play with her golden locks, and maybe sometimes drop his chin on her shoulder when she was working. She would stutter and stammer, but he would make sure to bathe her in his scent so that other alphas would be aware she was taken.

After several months of this, to the point Lucy grew more comfortable around him, Gray was finally awarded a gift from Mother Nature – a call of the wild.

It was Lucy's first heat.

* * *

When Lucy woke up that morning, the only thing she felt was a blistering heat. At first she thought it was a fever. She revoked that thought when she took her temperature.

 _98.6ºF_

Her brows scrunched in confusion.

It was then when she felt an ache beginning to creep between her legs. The thermometer dropped out of her mouth as her eyes widened in horror.

 _No, no, no, no, no_ , she chanted inwardly.

What the hell was she supposed to do? Her parents were already out for work. Call a doctor? Wait! What did her mom say? Right, the pills! Lucy awkwardly shuffled to her bathroom, the rub of her pajamas making her uncomfortable.

She grabbed the container of pills and shoved two down her throat with several gulps of water. After that, she decided a cold shower would help bring down the heat of her skin. However, it only did so much. Lucy had no idea that a head would be this _terrible._

The heat and the ache between her legs became so much that she opted for lying down on her bed. She panted, heat flushing to her cheeks. The blonde couldn't help but rub her thighs together to alleviate this strange, restless feeling between her legs.

Her phone rang.

"Hello," she whispered.

 _"Lucy?"_

"Gray?"

 _"You okay? I was worried you didn't show up."_

"I'm not feeling well."

 _"You want me to come over now?"_

"No!"

 _"But–"_

"It's fine! I'll just stay at home today."

 _"Okay, but I'll come over after school to check on you."_

"B–But…"

 _"No buts. You don't sound good. Anyway, got to go. Teacher's glaring at me."_

The line went dead, and the only thing Lucy could think of was Gray's hands running over her body. She trembled at the thought. She craved his scent, his presence, his touch, everything. She not only needed him. _She wanted him_.

* * *

To say Gray was pleased was an understatement. The moment he was within a close distance to Lucy's house, he could smell her heated scent. He knocked on her door, knowing exactly what was occurring beyond that door.

"G-Gray, I-I think y-you should l-leave." She was panting.

A shiver ran down his spine at the sound of Lucy's voice. Her heated scent wafted through the door, and it went straight to his groin. He clenched his jaw, controlling his alpha's call of the wild – his primal instinct to claim. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her.

"Lucy." Fuck, his voice was hoarse. "Let me help you."

"I-I'm sc-scared," she whimpered.

Gray leaned his head against her door, eyes closed. "I know, I know." He breathed a sigh. "Luce, I want you to know I will not come through this door until you want me to, okay? I will help you if you only say yes."

It was silent.

"Luce?"

"C-come in," she said meekly.

Gray opened the door, and what he found made his pants much tighter than before. His eyes saw Lucy's curled figure. Her blonde hair was messily strewn around her head like a halo. Her pajama shorts had ridden up, showing an expanse of smooth, silky skin begging to be touched. One of her tank top straps had fallen off her shoulder. Her body was trembling, and he could see her legs rubbing together trying to relieve some sort of tension.

He shut his eyes for a moment and clenched his fists, letting Lucy's scent wash over him. The scent of an omega in heat – _his omega_ – was overwhelming.

Gray made his way over and tossed his school bag on the ground and loosened his tie. "How do you feel?"

"Horrible," Lucy whispered.

Gray gave a sympathetic smile. "First heats are a bit much. Did you take anything?"

"Y-Yeah, but it…didn't help at all. Should I t-take more?"

"No." Gray grabbed the pill container and tossed it across her room, perfectly landing in the trash bin. "As a matter of fact, you won't need them again."

"But–" A weak moan left her lips. She looked up at him with teary eyes. "Gray… _please help me_."

Gray tugged his tie free and began unbuttoning his school shirt.

* * *

 _His scent_. Gray's alpha scent was intoxicating, driving Lucy wild. She suddenly felt the urge to touch herself, but Gray's warm, calloused hand caught hers and rolled her over onto her back. Her blush deepened when she saw him hovering above her. His midnight blue eyes regarded her with an intensity she could not fathom. His fingers ran up and down her arms before slipping to her waist and slyly inching the hem of her tank up higher. She quivered under his touch.

"Are you sure?"

Lucy gave him a weak smile. Yet another reason she loved this alpha. He was considerate of how she felt and didn't succumb to his alpha instincts. She knew he would take care of her.

"I'm sure."

Gray swiftly grabbed her knees and pushed them apart, placing himself between them. Lucy's breath hitched at the sudden contact of their pelvises. The warmth of his body and the scent of his arousal had her writhing beneath him.

"From now on," Gray started. His voice was deeper, huskier than she remembered. She saw his eyes glint. "Whenever you're in heat, you don't need the pills, and you don't need to hide. You need to understand you're my mate. And that means..."

Lucy mewled when his heated breath ghosted over her neck.

" _You only need me_."

* * *

 ** _A/N: 'Kay, so, what do you think guys? Let me know. Once again, if you have any prompt or suggestions, just PM me or leave a comment, or whatever works for you. Thanks for tuning in, and I really hope you enjoyed this clip of the OMEGAVERSE AU._**


	2. Special Agent Gray Fullbuster

**_A/N: Okay, sorry, but I'm just reposting this because I didn't get the notification on my email that it went through. So, let's see if it works this time. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one!_**

 _ **Disclaimer:** **I do not own Fairy Tail or any of it's characters. Much to my dismay.**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **Special Agent Gray Fullbuster**

* * *

Lucy Heartfilia, twenty-six, was currently sitting in the back of an ambulance truck wrapped in a fuzzy warm blanket. Behind her, the apartment complex that she resided in was reduced into flames. If it were any other day, she would've assumed it was Natsu's cooking. At least, that's what she wished it was.

But, no. It was a fucking bomb.

A fucking _bomb_.

Just, who _does_ that?!

Yes, she may be the Heartfilia heiress and current owner of the Heartfilia Konzern, but last time she checked she had no psychopath enemy. As a matter of fact, she was on friendly terms with the Orland heiress, Minerva. They may have had their differences, but they hung out like regular people. Unless she was faking it all and was actually a creepy obsessed psycho who wanted nothing but to kill her rival in the marketing world.

Lucy frowned and glared at her dangling feet.

Oh, what the hell, it didn't matter someone was trying to kill her at the moment. She needed to call Levy and tell her she'd be having a sleepover for the next week before she could find a new place. That is, _if_ the police would stop telling her to wait for the FBI. It was two in the morning for crying out loud!

She placed her call. "Hey Levy! Um, so, don't be alarmed that I'll be showing up at your place in an hour looking like complete shit, all right? ...I'll explain later, okay? Thanks, bye." The blonde sighed and gazed up at the starless sky. "What is my life?"

A throat cleared beside her. Lucy blinked and snapped her eyes to a nicely dressed individual who was – she rubbed her eyes – extremely handsome. She took in the the tousled raven hair, sharp midnight eyes, chiseled features, broad shoulders, and charismatic smile. And of course, the first words out of her mouth to this god-like individual were:

"Are you real?"

A crooked smile graced his lips, mirth dancing in his eyes.

"Yes, Ms. Heartfilia, I can assure you I'm very real."

"W-Who a-are you?" she stuttered nervously. _Smooth, Lucy. Smooth._

Oh my god, what was wrong with her. She had dealt with far more intimidating people in business deals and negotiations, but she couldn't even compose herself with this random hot guy. She mentally slapped herself.

He pulled out his badge. "Special Agent Gray Fullbuster."

"So you were the reason I couldn't leave," Lucy stated.

He chuckled. "Yes, that'd be me."

"How can I help you?"

"I was given the task to inform you–"

"That someone's trying to kill me."

Gray blinked before raising a brow. "Yes." He stared at her. "You seem to have come to terms with it."

Lucy gave a dry laugh. "Yeah, about twenty minutes ago. But I really don't give a shit about it at the moment because all I want to do is eat and sleep." She looked at him. "You better make this fast buddy."

He chuckled, pulling out a notepad and pen. "As you wish..." He skillfully twirling a pen between his fingers. "Any idea of who would want to hurt you? Business rivals? Some relative family not liking you have all the cash?"

"I'd hate to suspect her, but..." Lucy sighed. "Minerva Orland. She's my main competitor in the marketing world, but we've been on good terms for three years now." She looked Gray dead in the eye with a pained smile. "As for family, it's just me."

"Are you sure no one else comes to mind?"

Her brows furrowed. "Midnight and his Oracion Seis Company maybe. They're not excitedly the nicest people to do business with, but they've gotten better."

"Were you inside your complex at the time of the bomb?"

"Yes, in the hall, but several doors down."

His eyes took note of her bandaged head before his eyes bored into hers. "It seems like someone has been watching you. They had a pretty close estimate to when you'd get back home. What time do you usually come back?"

"Around midnight."

"The receptionist at the desk stated you arrived about a hour later."

"I had extra work to finish up."

"Ms. Heartfilia, you may not like this, but by what you're telling me, it seems your alleged assassin may have lived in the same building as you. It would have been easy for them to watch you."

Lucy paled, staring off into space. "Oh god..."

"What is it?"

"Mard Geer..." She looked at Gray. "He's the CEO at Tartaros Corporations. He lives...er lived here too."

Gray gave her a ghost of a smile. "It seems we've found our prime suspect." He looked at the burnt down building behind her. "And now that your place has been reduced to ashes, where will you be staying?"

"With a friend. Her name's Levy McGarden."

Gray whistled. "That famous author?"

"The one and only," Lucy grinned.

"Address?"

"Um, 180 Magnolia Avenue."

"Email: lucy-dot-heartfilia at hkonzern dot org?"

"Yes."

"And if we need to contact you, a good number would be: 425-206-1598?

"Yes."

"You're single?"

"Yes." She stopped and blinked. "Wait, what?!"

Gray clicked his pen. "Well, that's all I needed to know." He smirked and began walking away. "Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Heartfilia."

"H-Hey, stop right there!" Lucy yelled, flustered. "What the hell was that?! HEY! I was talking to you!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you enjoyed this one. It was a lot of fun to write. It was hard trying to keep Gray professional, but then I thought of a way for him to show his interest by, you know, doing his job, aka interrogation XD **_**_Once again, if you have any questions or concerns, just PM me. Thanks everyone and stay tuned for many more to come!_**


	3. Netflix and Chill

**_A/N: Okay, here's another one. Thought y'all would like it. Hope you enjoy! Please R &R! And have a Happy New Year! Oh, and if anyone has a better title idea because I thought this one was just a dead give away... I was thinking of something like Two Types of Wrestling or Friday Nights, but then Netflix and chill came into mind, and it sounded cooler. But because of the title, I turned innocent wrestle to something a little more suggestive /0w0/_**

 _ **Disclaimer:** **I do not own Fairy Tail or any of it's characters. *sigh* If only...**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **Netflix and Chill**

* * *

It was a Friday night. And like all Friday nights, Gray was lounging his couch in nothing but his boxers and surfing Netflix for something both he and his girlfriend would enjoy watching. Despite his futile attempts, it always ended up in a petty argument, which resulted in the two of them to act like children and wrestle each other for the remote. Today was no exception.

"Goddamn it, Gray!" Lucy growled. "Just give the remote!"

"Hell no!" He refused. "Last time I did that we ended up watching _Barbie's Dreamhouse_!"

Lucy's eye twitched. "First of all, that was not me! Don't you remember Mira came over last time with Freed and Cana."

He stared at her peculiarly.

The blonde sighed at her boyfriend. "Of course, how could I forget the lot of you were drunk..."

"I don't remember any of this, but still..." Gray continued, albeit hesitantly.

Lucy glared.

"Okay, fine," he finally acquiesced. "It wasn't entirely your doing, but I'm still not handing over the remote."

"Gray," Lucy whined. "We are _not_ watching American Horror Story! The last time I watched that I couldn't sleep!"

Gray chuckled. He wouldn't admit it, but the only reason he chose that allegedly scary crap was because Lucy wouldn't let go of him the entire time they were watching. He loved the feeling of her body pressed against his. She felt perfect in his arms, and he couldn't help but not the way her soft body fit perfectly into his hard one.

"Fine, you scaredy cat," Gray relented with a sigh. "Nothing scary..."

"I am not a scaredy cat," Lucy retorted hotly.

He raised a skeptical brow. "Uh-huh, sure."

She fumed. "That's it!"

Gray watched with alarmed eyes as he was suddenly tackled. He was pressed down onto the couch as Lucy made a reach for the remote. He was completely distracted by the way Lucy's breasts were pressed against his chest. It didn't help that she was wearing a thin tank top and really short cotton shorts. She was about the grab the remote when he threw the damn thing across the living room. By chance, it happened to select some new series called Sense 8.

"Gray!" Lucy exasperated incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"

"No way I'm going to let you win easily..."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "You know you should sometimes let your girlfriend win."

"You'd be mad if I did that," he reasoned.

She grinned. "You know me so well."

"Of course, I am your boyfriend."

"Well, Mr. Know-It-All..." Lucy smiled playfully. "You should now..." She lowered her lips to hover above his.

Gray cracked a smile, eyeing her lips. "Yes?"

Lucy smirked, eyes dancing in mirth as she moved her head back an inch as Gray reached for her lips. "I'm...going to win."

He arched a challenging brow, his own smirk gracing his lips. "I'd...like to see you try."

There were a few seconds of silence as they stared each other down, daring each other to make the first move. And that's exactly what Lucy did.

She dove off the couch for the remote. Gray wasn't too far behind and slid across the wooden floor in front of Lucy and grasped the remote. He was then tackled to the ground with a resounding thud. It wasn't long until the two began to wrestle, the remote long forgotten. It no longer was a battle for the remote, but a battle of dominance.

They rolled across the floor in a fit of profanities, yelps, and laughs before Gray came out on top, pinning her wrists to the side of her head. Both were slightly panting from the display of exertion.

Lucy pouted. "Damn it..."

"Seems you lost again, _Heartfilia._ "

Her eyes gleamed impishly. Before Gray could do anything, she reached her head up and kissed him. Surprised by the sudden soft feel of her succulent lips, his hold on her wrists loosened. He eventually gave in and deepened the kiss, slipping his hands to the back of her head and neck, pulling her even closer. He could feel Lucy smile against his lips. He didn't question it until he was swiftly flipped over onto his back with Lucy's hips straddling his own.

He glared in amusement. "You clever minx..."

"I win," Lucy purred, sticking her tongue out.

She reached for the remote above his head, but Gray stopped her.

"But I won fair and square," Lucy whined.

"I know," Gray hissed. "But you flailing all over me isn't exactly helping."

Lucy was about to ask when she realized their provocative position, and the obvious feel of him underneath her. She blushed, playfully glaring at him.

"Really, Gray?"

Gray chuckled dryly. "I can't help it. You look hot on top."

Lucy grinned. "What do say we, I don't know," – she ground her hips against his – "Netflix and chill?"

He smirked. "Thought you'd never ask."

Thus, they commenced a different type of wrestling. This time – on the bed.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Stay tuned for more to come. Also, thank you everyone for supporting my stories! It means the world to me :) Once again, have a safe and Happy New Year! I still can't believe 2015 is over. 0_0**_

 _ **Oh! Also another small note! I may change the title if anything better pops up into my mind. Don't know how long that will take, but I thought it would be best if I let you guys know anyway.**_


	4. The Asshole Who Would Ruin Everything

_**So, um, yeah, it's been a while folks. *nervous laughter* I haven't been able to get to this piece since recently. Anyway, this isn't a "novel", Red String of Fate is just a collection of GraLu one shots (word length varies) as stated in the summary.**_

 _ **Oh, by the way, these one-shots aren't connected to each other unless I say otherwise!**_

 **BY THE WAY, this is a quick note. This was formally title The GraLu Spectrum, but I thought it was more befitting to name it Red String of Fate because of this: "**The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances." **This quote kind of embodies what I'm trying to do. I'm writing a collection of one-shots exploring the relationship with this couple in any time, any place, any world, universe, situation. Just to clarify :) If you have any things to suggest, let me know!**

 _ **Disclaimer:** **I do not own Fairy Tail or any of it's characters. If I did...Gray and Lucy all the way**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **The Asshole Who Would Ruin Everything**

* * *

"Come on, Lucy," Natsu whined. "You need to get out more."

Said blonde scoffed and rolled her chocolate brown eyes. "Natsu, we've had this conversation before."

"But it's true! Even Levy goes out more than you do, and she's the real bookworm!"

Lucy sighed. "That's because she has a boyfriend."

"You did too, you know," Natsu pointed out.

She glared. "Yeah, that was one of the biggest mistakes of my life." She shook her head. "I was so stupid for not realizing that love was an idiotic, messy thing."

It was Natsu's turn to sigh. "It's always you and your studying, Luce. I hardly get to see you much anymore." He gave her the puppy-dog eyes.

"Not going to work, Natsu Dragneel," Lucy stated coldly.

"Ouch," Natsu pouted.

The pink-haired twenty-one-year-old watched his best friend write down notes from the big ass medical textbook. He sighed once again, feeling a little helpless at this point. Maybe he should've brought Levy along to try to convince her stubborn workaholic roommate. Natsu opened his mouth to try one more time.

"Don't even start," Lucy cut off without so much as a glance.

Natsu groaned. "Look, Luce, a good friend of mine just moved to town and transferred to Magnolia University. The whole gang's going to be there. It'll be fun!"

"Hmmmm," Lucy hummed, tapping her pencil against her desk.

Natsu grit his teeth. "I won't ask you to come to anything else for a month."

Lucy paused. "All right, I'm listening."

He smirked. "If you come today, I won't bother you to come to anymore social outings for a month. How does it sound, Lucy Heartfilia?"

She looked at him with pursed lips. A few seconds ticked by before a smile graced her lips. She stuck her hand out. "Deal, Natsu Dragneel."

He grinned and shook her hand. "See you at Blue Pegasus' Bar in an hour."

* * *

Yup, Lucy had no idea what she was thinking. The blonde had a tight smile on her face as she uncomfortably weaved herself through the crowd of Blue Pegasus. She prayed to Mavis that Hibiki wasn't here because she didn't know if she'd be able to hold back the punch reserved for his cheating face.

The one guy she went out with of course happened to be a player. The fucking asshole was the reason she gave up on love and didn't really believe in it anymore. Ever since that failure, Mira had tried to set her up ever since, but she always vehemently declined.

 _Where the hell are they?_ Lucy thought to herself frantically.

After maybe a fe good minutes of bulldozing through the hot and sweaty crowd, Lucy finally came upon the gang minus Natsu.

"Hey everyone," she greeted with a smile.

Everyone's eye lit up in surprise and delight. "Lucy!"

Suddenly, the poor blonde was tackled by Levy and a crying Mira.

"How did that flaming idiot convince your ass to get over here," Gajeel asked curiously.

"We made a deal," Luce said with a smile.

"Speaking of Natsu, where the hell is he and his so-called friend?" Lisanna asked with a huff.

"Right here!"

Everyone turned around to see a smiling Natsu and a very annoyed looking raven-haired guy.

"Sorry for being late guys, but this is the annoying prick I was telling you about. He just moved from Hargeon. This is Gray, guys."

Natsu gestured to the handsome raven-haired guy beside him, who in turn knocked him upside the head.

"Idiot," Gray muttered before turning to us. "Nice to meet you."

Everyone minus Lucy charged up to him and starting introducing themselves before bombarding him with questions. Lucy chuckled when she heard Mira's first question, which was: "Are you single?" That devious matchmaker was already on the move, and that was Lucy's cue to head to the bar.

She seated herself on a stool and was drinking a glass of vodka when a man slid into the stool next to hers.

"I'll have the same as this pretty lady," his smooth, deep voice said.

Lucy suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. So, instead she gave a tight-lipped smile. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Well, since you're talking to me, I'd say otherwise," he replied.

Lucy blinked. Well, she was not expecting that. She could literally feel the smirk in his voice. She turned to see none other than Gray beside her. The blonde felt her breath hitch. _Oh Mavis,_ Lucy said inwardly. This new guy was like an Adonis in the flesh. Chiseled features, broad shoulders, spiky hair, hypnotic eyes... Yup, focus, Lucy, focus. No distractions. Talk and learn about his personality. Personality is what matters!

"So, you're Gray...?"

"Fullbuster." He reached out his hand. "And you?"

She smiled and shook his hand. "Lucy Heartfilia." She couldn't help but notice how his roughly calloused hand enveloped her small soft one.

"Oh, so you're the girl Natsu has talked to me about," he acknowledged, letting go of her hand. His midnight blue eyes scanned her up and down before settling back to her eyes. "His words certainly didn't do justice."

Lucy arched a brow. "Thanks?"

Gray chuckled and looked at his drink. "Nothing bad. He kept going on about how smart, hard-working, funny, and pretty you are."

Lucy slowly felt heat rushing to her cheeks but still kept her raised brow. "And how do they not do justice? Because that's an accurate description of who I am, if you ask me."

He swirled his drink before looking at her. "You're not pretty, Lucy. You're beautiful."

Lucy would have been left as a hot mess if it weren't for Mira's girlish squeal of excitement from across the bar. The white-haired girl was staring at the two of them with heart-shaped eyes. The blonde narrowed her eyes but kept her smile. Her eyes returned to Gray.

"Did Mira send you over here?" Lucy asked, switching topics. She had no idea how to respond to his sincere comment.

"Actually, no."

"Really now?"

Gray gave her a crooked smile. "To be honest, you looked like the sanest person here."

Lucy laughed. "You'll get used to them. They're a rowdy bunch, but the best of friends you'll ever get to meet. Not to mention, unforgettable."

"I'll remember that."

"Hey Gray, this is Laxus!" Natsu shouted from afar. "He just came by!"

"Well, I guess that's my cue to leave," Gray stated. He downed his drink and slapped some cash on the table. "It was nice talking to you."

"You too," she waved.

"See you later," he said and gave her a wink.

Lucy chuckled and swirled her drink. Her eyes caught the green cash splayed on the table, and her eyes widened. He paid for her drink too?! She turned around and watched Gray's retreating back. She felt the same feeling of blood rushing to her cheeks. And that's when Lucy realized she enjoyed her time with him. He was able to make her laugh, and she acted like herself.

 _You gave up on romance a long time ago..._ Lucy reminded to herself in her thoughts. _Love is not for you._

She finally concluded Gray Fullbuster was going to be the asshole who would ruin everything.

* * *

 ** _Once again, if you have any questions or concerns, just PM me. Thanks everyone!_**


	5. Torment

**_A/N:_** _**Heya, guys. Glad you're somewhat still around. This is a short little snippet of a moment I envisioned between Gray and Lucy happening. Hope you enjoy!**_

 _ **Disclaimer:** **Don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **Torment**

* * *

Hands cold and familiar gripped Lucy's hips, effortlessly lifting her atop the kitchen counter with a certain roughness that had her licking her lips. Her legs parted instinctively, allowing Gray to close the distance between them. She slithered her hands to the nape of his neck while her legs wrapped around his hips, perfectly aligning their pelvis'.

Gray groaned, grounding his strained erection against her clothed core.

Lucy's mewled as her head fell back, and he took advantage and began ghosting his lips along her delicate neck.

"I was wondering how long you'd make me wait," he husked, nipping at her neck.

She giggled. "Long enough it seems."

He eyed her predatorily. "You drove me crazy."

She shivered as his hand scaled up her spine and reached her bra.

He smirked. "Now it's my turn."

* * *

 _ **A/N:** **Whelp, there you go guys. Short and...smexy? Thanks for reading. Hope y'all liked it.**_


	6. The Morning After

**_A/N:_** _**Heya, guys. Hope all is well. If any of y'all are living in Florida, stay safe from the**_ ** _hurricane. Also, beware of clowns._**

 _ **Disclaimer:** **Don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. If I did, GraLu would totally be a thing.**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **The Morning After**

* * *

Lucy curled into Gray's body. The blankets and sheets slipped and shifted, exposing her and Gray's entwined legs. Her hand settled on his muscular chest as she watched it rhythmically move slowly up and down, signaling he was still asleep.

The celestial mage moved once more, but this time atop Gray's firm body. Her ear pressed to his muscular chest, listening to the lull of his beating heart. Lucy sighed, lazily drawing circles on her boyfriend's chest. Feeling somewhat adventurous, her delicate hands moved to Gray's jawline, gently stroking his face with a ghost-like caress.

Lucy softly giggled as Gray's face twitched cutely. She continued her teasing until his eyes fluttered open to blearily connect with hers.

"Good morning," she whispered softly.

Gray smiled sleepily, twirling a strand of her hair before cupping her cheek. She held his hand to her face and leaned down, sweetly kissing him. He happily responded, tracing his hand from her cheek down to the small of her back.

"Good morning to you too," he chuckled. "I could get used to waking up like this."

Lucy giggled. "Me too."

* * *

 _ **A/N:** **Thanks for tuning in. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.**_


	7. A Prerequisite for Love

**A/N: Okay, so someone requested something to do with a soulmate AU or if I tried writing one. I wrote this a while back. It's inspired by the Netflix series _Sense 8._ This one shot is where one's soulmate can randomly catch ****glimpses of their soulmate and their soulmate's life until they meet each other. It's very rare and is deemed a myth, so not many people know what it is. Hope you enjoy! Please read and review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. If I did, GraLu would prevail.**

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **A Prerequisite for Love**

* * *

A raven-haired man, about the age of twenty-three, was taking a smoke on the roof of an old, abandoned apartment building. He casually leaned against the rusty old railing that held him from his twenty-six story death and gazed out at the skyline of the ever busy metropolis called Magnolia.

Despite the darkened sky and godforsaken time, the city was still bustling with life. The bright lights twinkled and glimmered in the darkness of the night. The handsome man closed his midnight blue eyes as a soft breeze passed by. He sighed in content, puffs of smoke billowing from his mouth, as the wind caressed his face. He could hear the city: the blare and honk of car horns, the several hundred footsteps of pedestrians, the nonstop chattering and laughter from civilians. He opened his cold eyes as the breeze passed and looked up to the starless sky.

Magnolia was very much alive. As for the night sky above him, it was very much dead. It bothered him.

"Gray," a voice called.

The raven-haired man peered over his shoulder to see his pink-haired friend looking at him impatiently. He raised a brow. "What is it, Natsu?"

"Dude, it's two in the morning," Natsu stated in exasperation. "Jiemma is going to be back in three hours. If you want to crack that S&D safe, we need to leave now."

Gray threw his cigarette on the ground and smothered it with his foot. "I hear you," was all he replied and left.

"I can't even imagine all the shit we can buy once we get our hands on those diamonds," Natsu toothily grinned as he trailed after Gray down the several flights of stairs.

Gray rolled his eye but nonetheless chuckled. He suddenly stopped on the stairwell when he found himself in a garden. It was late, probably the same time where he was, but it was quiet. He looked around spotting a woman leaning against the fountain and tracing the water with her fingertips as if she were in some trance. He couldn't really see her, but before he could get closer he was suddenly back to the musty staircase.

"Woah, buddy, you okay there?" Natsu asked, confused at his sudden stop.

"Yeah," Gray brushed off. "I'm fine."

His brows furrowed. Who was that woman?

* * *

Lucy didn't know what the hell was going on. One moment she sitting at the water fountain with koi fish in the Heartfilia Estate, and suddenly she was on some random rooftop somewhere. It lasted for the briefest of seconds. But she saw it. She saw the skyline of some city.

It was so beautiful, and she couldn't help but feel a certain longing to be there. She caught a glimpse of a raven-haired man taking a smoke and that was it. She thought nothing of the vision until she had another one later that week. Instead, she was now in an outdoor café...in Magnolia?

She honestly felt so out of place because of the stupid dress her father and the maids insisted she wear to impress the grandson of some tycoon or whatever. The people around her were talking and laughing and smiling and just... They were free to have fun, hang with friends, and live life the way they wanted. Something she desperately wished she could have.

The Heartfilia Kozern heiress walked through the café in wonder, staring at the different types of people and clothing. It felt surreal yet real at the same time. Lucy, for the first time in a very long time, felt alive.

She was so distracted that she didn't feel a pair of eyes following her. It wasn't until her eyes met the curious pair by accident that her breath was taken away. Her eyes widened along with his.

Lucy was only able to take in his captivating, midnight blue eyes and just like that she was back to her reality.

The blonde held her hand to her rapidly beating chest. She tried to steady her breath, but her efforts were futile.

"Wh-What w-was...that?" she whispered to herself, exhilarated with her cheeks burning.

The only thing she could gather from that confusing moment was that she was in was in love with the mysterious man with midnight blue eyes.

* * *

"I had a really good time," Juvia smiled.

"Me too," Gray replied monotonously.

"I'm just trying to figure out if this is it," Juvia went on. "Or, you know, if there's more to it..."

Gray wiped his mouth with his napkin. He set down his silverware and stared at the woman he just had sex with a few hours ago. He analyzed her with a straight face.

A beautiful woman all right, but it was just a one time thing. She was just another woman he had no interest in.

Gray sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"I'm not looking for a relationship," he explained honestly.

Juvia looked at him skeptically. "Then what are you looking for?"

Gray raised his eyebrows and looked to the side. Hell, he didn't really even know the answer to that question. His eyes suddenly caught a flash of gold, and he focused them to see a gorgeous blonde woman walking through the café.

She looked out of place with the elegant red dress she was wearing that, he daresay, suited her perfectly. She was beautiful, and his eyes couldn't help but follow.

Gray watched as she turned her head towards him, and he felt the air in his lungs escape him.

Midnight blue clashed with chocolate brown. His eyes widened, as did hers. He took in her golden hair that cascading gracefully to her hips. Gray swore the café lights were playing tricks on him because her hair seemed to be a golden halo.

Gray blinked, and she was gone.

"Gray? Gray?" Juvia called, her brows furrowing. "Gray?"

He looked back at the blue-haired woman, recalling her question.

"Is it another woman?" Juvia continued now that she had his attention again.

Gray wanted to say no. He really did, but that's not what slipped out of his mouth.

"Yes."

Juvia huffed in annoyance, but Gray paid her no heed and looked back to where he last saw the beautiful blonde in the center of the café. He was confused as to what had just transpired, but he knew the moment he first laid his eyes on her, whether it be his mind playing tricks on him or not, he wanted her.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys liked this one. I found it in a folder and decided to just share it. So for my next couple one-shots, I'm thinking of doing something side things for _Remedy._ By side things, I mean the lemony goodness some of y'all wanted. Still thinking about it, but yeah. Anyway, stay tuned! :)**


	8. Lost and Found

**_A/N:_ _Hey everyone! So this scene randomly appeared in my head. Wrote this during my free the other today, and I decided to share it for the hell of it because why not? May be another story idea, so let me know what y'all think about it._**

 _ **Disclaimer:** **Don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. If I did, GraLu would totally be a thing.**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **Lost and Found**

* * *

Black feathers enveloped Lucy's body, accompanied by an icy caress languidly trailing down her spine. She breathed a moan, back arching delicately, as this cold touch left a trail of tingling fire. She realized she was naked as her breasts pressed against a hard muscled chest. Her blushing face gazed up to her this stranger's face only to see that it was shadowed.

Lucy's heart hammered in her chest. Everything about this figure was dark – the feathers, the features, the aura – but she felt safe, safer than she had felt in a long time. Before she knew it, Lucy's hand threaded through this man's dark hair, and she kissed him with all she had, like they hadn't seen each other in millennium.

Her back suddenly tickled, almost as if the kiss had breathed life into her, and white celestial wings sprouted from her back and fluttered behind her. The very brightness of her wings illuminated her apparent lover's face, and she couldn't help but gasp.

Tousled raven hair, intense midnight-blue eyes, chiseled features, a muscular form, and a beautifully intricate tattoo on his right arm. Everything about him made her heart skip a beat and a smile grace her lips. He was familiar. So, so familiar that she wanted him to kiss her, touch her, make love to her. However, she could not place where this familiarity came from, and these sudden strong feelings scared her.

Lucy knew this was a dream though, because it wasn't possible to have wings. It wasn't possible to feel this strongly about a man at first sight. Because things like this weren't possible, she didn't want it to end, and she felt that her subconscious that created this man didn't want it to end either. So, she knew he would be in her dreams for a while and couldn't help but ask as she felt the pull to reality.

"Who are you?"

A crooked smile tugged at his lips.

"Exactly who you think I am."

And that's when she sadly woke up.

* * *

Lucy was waiting for the bus that rainy morning with a cup of black coffee in her hand. She checked her watch to see that she was in good time and would easily make it to her 8AM morning class of gothic literature. Levy was probably already there hoping to obtain books from the library for their paper, which was due in about three weeks. Speaking of which, Lucy really needed to get on that.

The blonde sighed, staring vacantly at the red hand across the street. It had been a solid ten minutes already, and the light still had not changed. She felt her foot twitch and begin to tap the ground impatiently. Her hand clenched her umbrella as a strong wind passed by. The hot cup of coffee began to slowly burn her fingers, but she didn't mind in the slightest because it was the only source of warmth on this very unusually cold March morning.

Her phone rang.

The blonde cursed under her breath, gulping down her coffee so she could easily access her phone. The caller ID said **Bookworm**. A small smile formed on Lucy's face.

"Hey, Levy, what's up?" she greeted.

"Just wondering why my best friend isn't here yet."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Please, you were late by fifteen minutes last time."

"That was because I was sick! What's your excuse?"

"The light for me to cross hasn't turned green yet."

"Just walk across."

"I'm not going to jaywalk, Levy! It's starting to rain harder, and I'll bet you some asshole looking at their phone will run me over!"

"Fair point, but there happens to..."

Levy's voice trailed off into white noise as Lucy made eye contact with a dark, handsome stranger across the street. His deep blue eyes pierced through her. It was as if velocity and time slowed to the point where it was only the two of them, and Lucy was sure the only thing that kept her grounded was gravity. Her breath hitched when he gave her the smallest hint of a smile.

The moment was broken when a bus sped by, splashing puddle water on her shoes, and suddenly the mysterious man was gone.

* * *

Tears were dripping down her face, but Lucy never remembered crying.

"Gray!"

She tried to move, but her body was in so much pain.

"Such beautiful wings," a slithery voice chuckled behind her.

Lucy glared up at the King of Hell. His eyes gleamed wickedly, and she couldn't help but shiver in revulsion when his filthy hands passed over her defenseless wings. He gripped them painfully tight.

"Such a shame."

And he started ripping them out.

"No, stop!" Lucy screamed in agony, flesh and feathers tearing apart.

"Lucy!"

Gray wrestled with Mard Geer's hellish creatures that held him down with their large claws. He desperately flapped his obsidian wings, knocking them off him. His efforts were cut short when Tempesta, one of the demons, stabbed Gray's wings with his blades, pinning him to the ground.

"Now, now, Gray," Mard Geer chided. "You may be Silver's son, but that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you since you betrayed me." He sneered. "All because you fell in love."

"You bastard," Gray growled.

Lucy's tears were nonstop now, as were her screams when Mard Geer continued ripping out her wings. It felt never ending. The pain was far more excruciating than she had ever expected it to be, almost like the flames of Hell itself were burning her wings off.

The diabolical king tossed her bloody wings in front of her. It was horrifying to see her immortality and power stripped away. She could feel her body slowly go numb; she couldn't even feel the blood oozing out of her wounds and dripping down her back.

"Rip his off to," Mard Geer commanded. He paused, glancing down at her briefly.

From that one look, Lucy knew. The way his eyes glimmered with a sickly promise of pain and suffering. He knew she was dying, and whatever he had in mind would make it all that much sweeter.

"On second thought, I have a better idea," he smirked, watching Gray struggle.

Lucy yelped when Mard Geer forced her onto her back on the hard, marble floor. He loomed over her body a wicked smile on his lips. The hellish king ripped off her clothes.

"Stop, I beg you!" she sobbed.

"Don't touch her!" Gray snarled.

His rough hands were all over her body, touching places that only Gray was allowed to touch. The numbness of her body only did so much. She could still feel his sickly hands resting on her naked thighs, forcefully spreading them apart. She shrieked and retaliated, but she was so incredibly weak. She was defenseless, and the King of Hell would be the last person she saw.

"Make sure he watches," he ordered.

"I said don't touch her!" Gray roared. "Rip my wings out already!"

"Oh, Gray, if it were only that simple." Mard Geer's eyes gleamed. Lucy cried out as he plunged into her. "I want you to suffer for eternity."

* * *

"–ucy! Lucy! Wake up!"

The blonde groaned, fluttering her eyes open. "Huh, what? Did something happen?"

"You fell asleep during class. You never fall asleep during class."

Lucy sat up to see her friend's face contorted with utter concern. She couldn't blame her. Lucy really wasn't one to sleep in class, but she had been so tired the past few days because of these nightmares. Especially the most recent one she had. She inwardly shivered at the thought. She remembered waking up with an indescribable burning sensation on her back where her birthmark was.

She didn't want to burden Levy with anything, so she just forced a smile. "I think...I think I'm coming down with something."

Levy frowned. "You should head back to the dorm and sleep. I'll take notes for you."

Lucy only nodded, not bothering to tell her that sleeping wasn't really on her high list of priorities. "Fine," she drew out a sigh, faking annoyance. "But I'll stop by the library to finally pick up a couple of books for the paper."

"Fine," Lecy conceded. "But I'll be checking up on you at lunch, okay?"

"Thanks, Levy," Lucy smiled.

She could feel the bluenette's eyes on here as she dragged her feet out of class. Lucy felt guilty lying to Levy. She was her best friend, but there were some things that just had to be kept to herself because even Lucy didn't know what to really make of what was happening. Maybe she was going crazy. It all started in this damn town.

Magnolia was a beautiful place. But the more she stayed, the stranger everything felt.

It wasn't long until Lucy found herself in front of Kardia Cathedral staring at the angels carved into stone. She stared blankly at all the angels, feeling like she knew them somehow from some far away place.

Lucy shook her head. What was she doing here?

That was when she saw him again. Sitting on the steps leading to the grand doors of the cathedral. The dark stranger from the other day. He was smoking a cigarette and reading the weekly newspaper. It was sunny out today, so this time he wasn't wearing a black leather jacket. However, now, Lucy could clearly see the corded muscles of his arms from the tight shirt he was wearing.

She gulped. She wanted to run, she wanted to leave, at least that was what her mind told her to do. Instead, she was walking up the steps towards him, feeling some inexplicable feeling that it was natural to be near him. She stopped in front of him, and he looked up.

Lucy could barely contain her surprised gasp.

"Y-You," she began shakily. "W-What's going on?!"

He stood up to his full height, easily towering over her. She took in the features that haunted her dreams.

"Can I help you?" he greeted, the deep timbre of his voice making her heart flutter. He threw his cigarette to the ground and smothered it with his foot.

"Who...are you?"

A crooked smile tugged at his lips. "That's one way to greet someone."

"Sorry, it's just.." Lucy sighed, inwardly berating herself. "Nevermind, it's stupid. Sorry for bothering you."

She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.

"It's the dreams, isn't it?"

She doesn't say anything, but by the look in his eye her face told him everything.

"...Do I – Am I supposed to know you?" she finally whispered, terrified.

He titled his head to the side, mirth evident in his eyes. "You tell me."

Her mind flashed to all the vivd dreams she had. Lucy wasn't even sure if they were dreams but more like memories. The pain, the suffering, the longing. She could still feel it all like it was only yesterday. She convinced herself that he was only a stranger, but all the times that she had encountered him, everything felt too familiar.

"Gray?" she tried, hesitant. It was the name she learned many nights ago during that excruciatingly frightening and painful dream. Despite her unsureness, the name rolled off her tongue easily. Like she had said it so many times before. For some reason, she really believed that she had. And just because of that belief, it all came to her.

"Took a while to find you, you know."

"About time," she tearfully laughed, throwing her arms around him.

Gray easily caught her, and Lucy couldn't help but think they had a really good chance this time.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _ **Hey guys, this had been in my head for a while. Hope you enjoyed it. I don't know, but I'm a huge sucker for reincarnation love stories. Dunno why, but it's got something to it that I love. Anyway, let me know what you think.**_

 _ **Btw, I've also noticed that most of my one-shots don't really have completely satisfying endings. Sorry about that but it probably means it has some potential to become a full-fledged story then. We'll see. I'm just throwing up words and scenes and whatnot down on paper then transcribing to word.**_

 _ **Stay tuned!**_


	9. Falling in Love

_**A/N: Hey guys, hope y'all enjoyed the end to Remedy. Here's another one-shot update. It's a bit domestic. Gray's not in this piece, but it's Lucy with her and Gray's kids. I just can imagine them on a Saturday morning, and one of them pops the question: How'd you fall in love? For myself, there isn't an exact clear answer because the person you love makes you feel a lot of things. **_

_**Disclaimer**_ _ **: Don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. If I did, GraLu would've been endgame.**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **Falling in Love**

* * *

Lucy hummed as she danced her way around the kitchen early that Saturday morning. She was still in her pajamas but that didn't stop her from putting on an apron and making pancakes for the kids. She knew for a fact Silver and Mika would pretty much scarf everything down while her and Layla would enjoy some omelets with cheese and chopped bell peppers. Gray, on the other hand, wasn't due back home from his mission until Sunday night, so she'd save the fresh steak she bought for tomorrow.

She was finishing up the pancakes when her second oldest, Mika, shuffled into the kitchen, her raven hair sticking up in different direction like blades of grass. She sat herself at the large island in the middle of the kitchen and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl.

"Morning, Mom."

"Morning! Honey or peanut butter today?" Lucy asked as she perfectly stacked the pancakes onto a large dish.

Mika pursed her lips. "Peanut butter."

Lucy wordlessly handed the fresh jar and continued on with the omelet-making. She was putting in the extra cheese and bell peppers when she heard a loud yawn that she could recognize anywhere. She felt herself smile.

"And there's my baby dinosaur," Lucy greeted without turning around.

Her youngest, Layla, giggled. "Morning, Mommy! How'd you know it was me?"

Mika scoffed. "She's our mother. She knows everything."

"But Silver says she has eyes on the back of her head," Layla said, confused.

"Do you see eyes on the back of Mom's head?"

"…No?"

Lucy almost laughed because Layla sounded disappointed. She placed the freshly made omelets on a separate dish, serving a decent sized piece to her youngest. She took off her apron and grabbed dishes and utensils, and of course, syrup for the pancake lovers.

"Speaking of your brother, he probably won't be down in another hour or so, yes?"

Mika rolled her eyes. "That sleepy head won't be here until tomorrow."

"Who won't be here when?" Silver asked as he walked in fully dressed.

Lucy and Mika blinked in surprise as he grabbed a couple of pancakes, eating as he went. He took a couple big bites before putting his shoes on.

"You're awake?" Mika asked, confused.

"Yeah?"

"Big Brother's got a date," Layla remarked, sipping her orange juice.

"Hoooo, a date?" Mika smirked.

Silver rolled his eyes. "Just training with the gang."

"Laurel's going to be there~" Layla chimed.

"See you," Silver waved, a light dust of pink on his cheeks.

There was a silence as he left and the door shut close.

A grin appeared on Lucy's face. "Uncle Laxus and Aunt Mira's daughter, hm?"

Mika laughed. "He's so in love."

"Don't tease him so much, or he'll do the same or worse when you find someone," Lucy smiled.

Mika scoffed, taking a big bite out of her pancake.

Lucy begin picking up the dishes and placed them in the sink. She began humming again as she rinsed them and placed them in the dishwasher.

"Hey Mom?"

"Yes, Mika?"

"Speaking of finding someone…how'd you fall in love with Dad?"

A soft smile made its way onto Lucy's lips, reminiscing the feeling of butterflies in her stomach, the first time his rough hand slowly slid into soft one, and the soothing powers of his deep, velvety voice. She snapped out of her reverie when she realized the water was still running and the sink was almost full.

Lucy turned around, leaning against the counter and faced her curious daughter. Layla had already wandered off with her favorite blanket to the living room, but Mika was still there, true, genuine curiosity in her young eyes.

"I fell in love with your father the way he fell asleep – slowly."

Mika tilted her head. "But, how'd you know? How'd you know it'd be him?"

"I didn't. Not for a while. It wasn't exactly love at first sight, but familiarity. It's like a switch had been flipped. I had been friends with your father for years, and then my heart decided, 'It's you. It's always going to be you.' I think I decided that because I felt happy around him, but I also wanted to make him happy because I really cared about him."

"So, it just felt…natural?"

"There's no easy way to explain it," Lucy sighed. "Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. But also being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while also loving someone deeply gives you courage."

Mika grumbled. "Why is love never easy?"

Lucy laughed. "The heart wants what it wants. There's no logic to these things."

"You're right, I guess not..."

"You'll know when the time comes."

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _ **Hope you enjoyed it! If you have an specific requests, PM or just leave a comment about something you think I should write about! Anyway, have a nice day!**_


	10. Falling in Love (pt 2)

_**A/N: Hey guys, hope y'all enjoyed the end to Remedy. Here's another one-shot update. Part two of the previous one because I really wanted to. Mika talks to her dad about the same question she asked her mother. How'd he know? Also added her witnessing a tender moment between her parents. Small warning, Gray may seem a little OOC, reason being, he's a dad.**_

 _ **Disclaimer**_ _ **: Don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. If I did, GraLu would've been endgame.**_

* * *

 **• Red String of Fate •**

 **Falling in Love (pt. 2)**

* * *

It was an early rainy Sunday morning. The kids were still asleep, and Gray was due back that evening. Maybe he'd be back earlier. She hoped so, but whatever the case, Lucy was happy either way. Gray had taken a month-long S-class mission with Erza and Natsu, and she and the kids missed him. She could tell his absence was wearing down on all of them. Silver wasn't one to show that anything bother him, but Lucy could tell. As for Mika and Layla, both always asked if he would be home, and she always said "soon." Lucy wanted to be able to say, "Welcome home."

She wasn't a huge fan of these S-class missions, but they paid well and provided for all of them. Gray didn't go out on S-class missions too often unless duty called. Lucy didn't go out on many missions either because someone had to watch the kids. Speaking of which, Silver would have to be the one in charge today because she had a doctor's appointment in about thirty minutes.

Lucy hummed as she prepared a cup of wild raspberry tea until, suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her. Her mug slipped out of her hand into the sink, and the urge to vomit burned her throat. She coughed instead, gripping the edges of the sink, her knuckles turning white.

"Uh, mom, are you okay?" she heard Silver ask.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Just..." Lucy realized she wasn't just tired but exhausted.

"You look a bit pale, mom," Silver commented worriedly. "Why don't you lie on the couch, and I'll finish making your tea."

Lucy smiled. "Very well. If you insist."

A short minute later, Silver delivered her tea, and she sat up and cradled it in her hands, taking small sips.

"Thank you, Silver."

"Yeah, of course, mom. So I'm guessing I'm holding down the fort until you come back?"

"If you don't mind."

"No, I have plans around one, and you should already be back by then, yeah?"

"Yes, I'll be back around 11ish, and you can go off with Laurel."

Silver groaned. "Mom!"

Lucy giggled, ruffling his hair. "I'm just teasing you."

The doorbell suddenly rang.

"That must be Wendy," Lucy said. "That's my cue to leave. Stay out of trouble. I expect the house to still be standing when I come back."

Silver shook his head and crossed his arms. "Mom, I'm not Uncle Natsu."

She put on her coat and shoes and smiled. "I know, I'm just used to saying that."

"Well, see you, mom."

"See you soon. Breakfast's in the fridge!"

* * *

It was about ten in the morning when Gray finally stepped foot in Magnolia. The weight of exhaustion hanging over his shoulders seemed to lift as he saw the daily bustle of life despite the rain. He could hear Natsu's shout of excitement, and Erza's sigh of relief, and he barely registered their parting words because he was finally home after a long-ass difficult mission.

 _Home,_ he thought warmly.

It was still something he never thought he'd have. Three kids that always kept him on his toes with their shenanigans and a beautiful, loving wife. The thought of surprising them with his early return had a small smile stretching across his lips. It wasn't long before he arrived home, fiddling with the keys and the lock, and opened the door. Before he could even say a word, he was tackled onto the floor.

"Dad, you're home!" Mika cried happily.

"About time!" Silver said.

"Papa!" Layla shouted joyfully.

He laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I'm back."

"You just missed mom. She left not too long ago," Silver stated.

"Yeah, something about errands and a doctor's appointment," Mika mentioned. "Mom said she'd be back by noon."

"Papa, papa! Can you tell us about the mission?" Layla asked.

Silver: "Yeah, how'd it go?"

Mika: "Was there some giant monster or demon you, Aunt Erza, and Uncle Natsu took out?"

Layla: "Or some mean big bad boss?"

"Woah, woah, woah, one at a time. One at a time," Gray calmed them down. "And what was that about your mother?"

"She's at the doctor," Silver informed. "She hasn't been feeling 100% lately."

Gray heaved a sigh, several thoughts filtering through his head at once. He felt the urge to head to the doctor and check in with Lucy, but he knew she'd be back safe and sound and tell him everything. Besides...

"You guys ate?"

"Yeah, momma left us food in the fridge," Layla said.

"They're some left for you," Mika continued. "Want me to warm it up for you while you get settled back home?"

"I would be forever grateful," Gray smiled. His gaze turned to his son. "What about you buddy? What's up?"

"Nothing really. I was going to meet with the gang and train later today, but I guess we could meet up earlier now since you're back."

Gray blinked. "What are you waiting for? Get out of here. I'm not stopping you."

Silver smirked. "Thanks dad. See you later."

"Later, kiddo."

His midnight blue eyes landed on his youngest, Layla. "And what about you, princess?"

She gave a toothy smile. "I lost a tooth yesterday."

Gray chuckled when she pressed her tongue through the small gap. "Yeah? Did the Tooth Fairy come by last night?"

Her eyes widened comically and before Gray knew it, Layla was sprinting up the stairs dragging her stuffed teddy behind her.

He sighed, leaning his head against the back of the couch, his exhaustion sinking in. His eyes were about to shut when Mika sat next to him with a plate of eggs and bacon.

"Oh, that smells good," he mumbled, waking up.

"Mom made it this morning before she left."

He couldn't help but slightly stuff his face. It's been months since he's had good, good food. As he ate with vigor, Gray could feel his daughter's stare burning the side of his face. He didn't know if it was because he was eating four pieces of bacon at once or if he'd grown another appendage somewhere.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering how you fell in love with mom."

Gray swallowed loudly, setting his plate down onto the coffee table. "What made you think about it?"

"Well, I asked mom when you were gone," Mika explained with a shrug. "I just wanted to hear your side of the story."

Gray sighed, leaning back into the plush couch that made him want to close his eyes. "To be honest, I was attracted to your mother the moment I met her."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Gray smiled fondly. "But I didn't really fall in love with her until a while later. I don't remember the exact moment, but it was like a switch had flipped, and I couldn't see myself with anyone else but her...or want to see her with anyone else."

Mika sighed, pursing her lips. "You and mom kind of talked about the same thing, about a switch."

"Did she?" Gray sweatdropped. "Love isn't simple, I suppose. It's hard to explain. But, uh, one thing that really stood out about your mother is her ability to forgive. Her heart is so big, it's endless. I found that really attractive as well."

"So...I guess it just kind of happens," Mika concluded.

"Yeah...pretty much."

There was a short silence.

Mika's brows furrowed. "But-"

She stopped when she saw her father trying to fight to stay awake.

"I'll grab a blanket."

"S'okay," Gray said, opening his eyes. "Takes me a while to fall asleep."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, tell me what I've missed the past month or so."

Mika smiled. "Well..."

* * *

Lucy's jittery hands fumbled with her keys, and she apologized as Wendy gently took them from her and opened her door.

"Thanks, Wendy," Lucy softly said.

The bluenette smiled. "Of course. Remember what I told you?"

"Yes, everything."

Wendy searched her gaze and nodded in satisfaction. "All right then. If there's anything you need, any questions, just let me know, yeah? I'm always here to help."

"Thank you, Wendy," Lucy smiled. "I should be fine for now."

"Take care."

Lucy waved and watched the bluenette stroll off and meet up with Romeo ways ahead. She smiled fondly as she saw Wendy slide her hand into his. They walked off in their own world. Nostalgia hit Lucy, and she softly pressed her palm against her stomach.

Walking through the door, she announced her arrival. "I'm home!"

She took off her shoes and coat, wiping away some stray droplets tickling down the side of her face. She grabbed the groceries she happened to buy on the way back home and placed them on the island. Lucy's eyes She sang softly under her breath while taking everything out and putting them tactfully in the fridge and pantry. Lucy smiled, satisfied at her work. They were well-stocked for the next month or so. She pursed her lips, suddenly worried that it actually wouldn't be enough. While everyone else was eating for one, she was eating for three. She leaned against the kitchen island in thought until she saw a note sitting in the fruit bowl.

 _Hey ma,_

 _Dad came back early, so he told me I could go. Mika put Layla to sleep for her nap. See you around dinnertime._

 _Silver_

Lucy's eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat. Gray. Gray was back home. He was finally home.

She checked the living room, and a fond smile graced her lips when she saw Gray passed out on the couch. His face was peaceful, hair long, some strand falling over his eyes and tickling his cheeks. She gently sat down on the couch, lifting his head and placing it gently on her lap. He grumbled some nonsense, his nose brushing against her stomach. She hummed gently, her hands playing with his hair and gently tracing his jawline with delicate fingers.

It wasn't long before Gray's eyes fluttered open. Brown clashed with dark blue.

"Hey," his voice graveled

"Hey you," she smiled, kissing the top of his forehead. "Welcome home."

Gray hummed, closing his eyes again as she continued to play with his hair. "Did you miss me?"

"Is that even a question?" Lucy giggled. "Of course I did."

"I'm sorry I have to leave you for so long."

"We talked about this Gray," Lucy sighed, pinching his cheek. "I understand."

"Hey, ow!"

"So how was your mission?" she asked, as he groggily sat up rubbing his cheek and sending her a playful glare.

"Believe it or not, Natsu and Erza were able to hold it together and not cause any collateral damage."

Lucy eyes widened sarcastically. "Wow, even you?"

"Hey, I'm the sanest out of those two."

"Right," she chuckled.

Gray rested his elbow on the coach, able to rest his head on his hand. His eyes peered through hers. "How are you feeling?"

Lucy scrunched her brows. "I'm fine?"

"The kids told me you weren't feeling well lately and went to the doctor today. Anything I should be concerned about?"

She shook her head with a smile. "No, at least I don't think so."

He raised a brow, the silence egging on.

"Well, um...twins," she whispered slowly.

Gray blinked.

Lucy chewed her lips, trying to gauge his reaction.

The prolonged silence unnerved her, but the look in his eyes was all she needed. The slight terror in his eyes caused her to jump up in surprise, her lips quivering. She wasn't expecting this reaction. But then again, she and Gray hadn't talked about having more kids...

"I- I- I'll just-"

She turned to flee, but Gray grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his lap.

"Goddamn it, woman. At least let me react!"

"React? I saw it in your eyes, Gray. You look terrified!"

"That's because twins, Lucy! Twins!" Gray emphasized, eyes wide in horror. "How am I going to tell them apart?! Hell, I call Layla Mika sometimes and vice versa!"

Lucy swatted him on the head. "Idiot! That's what you were worried about?! You scared me there!"

"I don't know, Lucy. I'm pretty freaked out."

He suddenly paled, eyebrow twitching.

She deadpanned. "What now?"

"What if they're girls?! I'm going to have to watch out for five of you now!"

"Calm down!"

"Calm down?! Mika's just that age, and-"

Lucy swatted him on the head again. "Stop being such a dad, geez!"

"Well, I am one. Can't help it."

"Are you happy?" Lucy asked softly, her concerned eyes searching his dark blue ones.

Gray's face softened. "Of course I'm happy, Luce."

"Good," Lucy smiled, kissing him fully on the lips. He happily returned it. "Because they're both girls."

Lucy laughed as Gray just about died again.

* * *

"Hey mo-"!

Mika stopped, seeing her mother and father talking with soft voices. She bit her lip, debating whether she could wait or not. And she decided, yes, she could because her mother hasn't seen her father in a while, and it affected her more than it did her, Silver, and Layla. Because she loved him, and Mika wanted to see that, what love was all about.

She heard bits and pieces of their conversation and there was a tense moment, but it immediately calmed down with laughter and her mother swatting her father on the head jokingly. In the end, the only thing that mattered was the way they looked at each other with smiles on their faces and a glitter in their eyes like they were each other's world, which they were. Her parents went in for what she believed was a kiss, so she turned away and headed back upstairs with a small smile.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _ **Hope you enjoyed it! If you have an specific requests, PM or just leave a comment about something you think I should write about! Anyway, have a nice day! Also wanted to apologize for not updating in a while. Life tends to do that.**_


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